will give me warrant, and this same Mistress Eaton will lend me
her aid, I will soon set forth a table that shall make hungry men's
hearts leap within them."

"There, Will," exclaimed Alice generously. "That is the sort of maid she
is, never stopping to lament and wring her hands as silly I do, but ever
looking for the way to mend the evil, and finding it, too."

Dame Eaton, whom we have known as Lois, maid to Mistress Carver, but now
married to Francis Eaton and promoted on her marriage to be the
governor's housekeeper, soon made her appearance, and the three women
were not long in setting forth a breakfast whereunto the governor
invited as many of his neighbors as the table could accommodate, and
over which he offered a thanksgiving, glowing with loving gratitude to
Him who giveth all.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

MARRIAGE BELLS.

"And now, Governor, we have to billet all these new-comers as best we
may. Six-and-ninety names the captain of the Anne reports on his roster,
and that fairly doubles the population of Plymouth. Where shall we
bestow them all?"

"Why, Captain, you know that many of our men expecting their wives and
children have built housen and now will occupy them; and for the rest, I
am minded, if you will have me, to impose myself upon you and Alden, and
leave mine own house to Mistress Southworth and your cousin. Then, as
the elder's daughters now have come, Priscilla Molines, whom my dame
knoweth and loveth well, and Mary Chilton and Elizabeth Tilley can all
find room here also, and the rest we will dispose of among the other
families. Mayhap for a while the young men may sleep at the Fort."

"Nay, Governor, we'll have no rantipoles at the Fort meddling and making
among the ammunition, and playing tricks with the guns. Alden and you
and I and Howland, and some other of the ancients, will swing our
hammocks at the Fort if you will, and my house may be turned into a
billet for the bachelors, until we can help them to knock up housen for
themselves."

"So be it, comrade, and yet 't is hardly worth while to make great
changes or fatigues until"--

"Until?"--

"Until some among us are wed, Myles."

"Why, truly yes. I had forgot, and yet I have heard the jingle of
marriage bells in thy voice since ever yon ship rounded Manomet. How
soon will it be, Will?"

"So soon as my dame agreeth," replied Bradford contentedly. "At all odds
before the Anne returneth. We have magistrates enow among us, howeve